8 strong Elder Scrolls opinions: With over 2,500 combined hours (and not all as stealth archers), we shout at each other about Skyrim, Morrowind, and Oblivion

Five PC Gamer editors with more than 2,500 combined hours in The Elder Scrolls series share their strongest opinions on Skyrim, Morrowind, and Oblivion. They argue Bethesda’s removal of numerical stats and skill restrictions has homogenized gameplay, making characters overly versatile but diminishing meaningful choices. The editors criticize the lack of limitations that once defined the series, turning once-distinct builds into generic power fantasies.

One editor praises Oblivion’s side quests, particularly the Thieves Guild’s The Ultimate Heist and the Dark Brotherhood’s Whodunnit, as superior to Skyrim’s repetitive filler content. They highlight Oblivion’s main quest’s spectacle and memorable NPCs like Paarthurnax, contrasting it with Skyrim’s procedurally generated side activities. The editor also laments the absence of spellmaking from Skyrim, a feature that allowed deep customization in Oblivion despite its balance issues.

Another editor defends Oblivion and Skyrim against claims that Morrowind is the definitive Elder Scrolls game, noting their advancements in side quest design. They argue Morrowind’s Thieves Guild finale pales next to Oblivion’s heist, while Skyrim’s A Night to Remember stands out among its otherwise unremarkable side content. The editor also questions the modern Bethesda’s ability to craft questlines as inventive as Oblivion’s Dark Brotherhood arc.

A fourth perspective critiques Bethesda’s writing since Oblivion, calling it increasingly bland and lacking the creativity seen in earlier titles. The editor suggests Bethesda should embrace emergent gameplay and systems-driven mechanics, citing Mount & Blade as a model. They argue Bethesda’s strength lies in world-building, not narrative, and urge the studio to focus on interactive environments rather than rigid plots.